Francois Beauchemin
| birth_place = Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, Canada | draft = 75th overall | draft_year = 1998 | draft_team = Montreal Canadiens | career_start = 2000 }} François Beauchemin (born on June 4, 1980) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL), his second tenure with the organization. Playing Career François played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for four seasons with the Laval Titan Collège Français, Acadie-Bathurst Titan and Moncton Wildcats. In his draft year, he recorded 47 points in 70 games with Laval. He was then drafted 75th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Upon being drafted, François returned to the QMJHL for two more seasons, helping Acadie-Bathurst to a President's Cup in 1999 as league champions. Turning pro in 2000–01, François spent four seasons with the Canadiens organization playing between several minor league affiliates. He made his NHL debut in 2002–03, appearing in 1 game for the Canadiens. On September 14, 2004, François was placed on waivers and claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets. As NHL play was suspended due to the lockout, he spent the 2004–05 season with the Blue Jackets American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. The next season, Beauchemin earned an NHL roster spot with the Blue Jackets and played 11 games with the club in 2005–06 before being traded along with Tyler Wright to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Sergei Fedorov on November 15, 2005. François emerged as a top-four defenceman with the Ducks and immediately began producing, with 34 points in 61 games with the Mighty Ducks after the trade. After establishing himself with the Ducks, François helped the club to a Stanley Cup championship in 2007. On November 14, 2008, François suffered from a torn ACL in his left knee in a game against the Nashville Predators. He was expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the 2008–09 season, but returned to the Ducks for their first round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks. On July 6, 2009, François signed a 3-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He appeared in all 82 of Toronto's games during the 2009-10 NHL Season, scoring five goals. François was selected for the 2010 Winter Olympics summer roster for Team Canada in August of 2009, but did not make the final roster cut. On February 9, 2011, he was traded back to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for left winger Joffrey Lupul, defenceman Jake Gardiner and a fourth round 2013 conditional draft pick. On January 20, 2012, François was signed to a three-year contract extension worth US$10.5 million. Personal Life François and his wife Marie Claude have 2 children: a son named Samuel (born on July 16, 2006) and a daughter named Emily (born on April 20, 2009), who were both born in Anaheim, California. Awards & Achievements *Named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team in 1997. *Named to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team in 2000. *Named to the CHL Third All-Star Team in 2000. *Won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. *Won The Hockey News' Rod Langway Award as "Best Defensive Defenseman" in 2013 Career Statistics Category:1980 births Category:Anaheim Ducks players Category:Montreal Canadiens draft picks Category:Montreal Canadiens players Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players Category:Hamilton Bulldogs players Category:Stanley Cup champions Category:Mighty Ducks of Anaheim players Category:Canadian ice hockey players